


The Price for Our Minds

by WandaHoya



Series: Something in Our Blood [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Black Family (Harry Potter) - Freeform, Eventual Relationships, Eventual Sirius Black/Remus Lupin, Gen, Marauders, Marauders Friendship, Marauders' Era, One-Sided Attraction, POV James Potter, Secret Relationship, The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-07
Updated: 2018-06-29
Packaged: 2019-05-19 10:57:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 19,401
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14872469
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WandaHoya/pseuds/WandaHoya
Summary: Young Sirius has hard time to consent to his newly found gryffindorhood. He might know the etiquette but the prejudiced upbringing sticks out of him. The marauders meet and get to know each other while the Black family drama twirls around them.Mostly Sirius centered marauders’ era story, viewed behind the eyes of all the four Marauders. The first part is from James’ point of view.





	1. Who are we

**Author's Note:**

> The main title and titles of the chapters are all taken from the lyrics of David Bowie’s song 'Slow burn'.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> James hops on the Hogwarts Express and gets moving.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Includes extracts from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows chapter 33. Some fragments taken I’ve modified to embed them.

“Good luck dear!”

“Yes, mom, you have said it like thousand times already!”

“Son, have a great time!”

“Thanks dad, you know I will.”

 

After the million kisses his mom covered him with, James Potter lifted his heavy trunk to the Hogwarts Express. He stepped to the stair leading up to the train and turned back towards the platform to have one more wave at his parents. 

“Bye bye dear! Remember to owl us as soon as you get sorted!”

James smiled and nodded while whisking his hand in the air in somewhat maniac manner. 

 

Still clinging on to the train and hanging halfway out of the door, the young Potter fixed his glasses on his nose and then ran his tanned hand through his short, black hair. He let his glance brush through the busy train station. So many parents and families bidding goodbyes at their sons and daughters, sisters and brothers. There were some familiar faces too, like Frank Longbottom, a fellow some years older than him. But before he had the chance to wave at Frank, his attention was drawn to a shrieking sound, and he noticed a ginger girl consoling a sobbing girl by holding her hand. It seemed to James that the sobbing girl was heading the first time to Hogwarts just like James, and she was already feeling homesick, screaming in misery. 

 

Misery in this exciting situation felt an odd choice of feeling for James. In his mind, getting to Hogwarts and to live the most of the year without his parents hovering around him, was an important step stone towards adultery. He was ready to prove his bones. He was finally 11 years old and had the chance to do something on his own. The thought made him feel even more confident, but the girl was still shouting cries with a red face. 

 

“Maybe she knows she’ll be missing her sister," he mumbled to himself. James often dreamed how nice it would be to have a sister. Or a brother. He let his eyes wander at two boys, who couldn’t look more like brothers. They both had very fine features, pale skin, high cheekbones and hair black as midnight going all the way down covering their ears. They were dressed in black and held a serious, nonchalant faces. They could have been twins, but something in their presence gave away there was an age difference.

 

As being from a wizard family, it didn’t go unnoticed from James that it was the Black family in question. James had never met any of the Blacks, but he had seen them on the high society pages of Daily Prophet every now and then. The two sons and the hauntingly beautiful Mrs Walburga Black and always so elegant Mr Orion Black. James stopped to study their farewells. Mr Black offered his hand to the taller Black son, and the boy grabbed it nodding shortly at his father. Her mother gave her hand towards him which made the boy straighten up his posture before he pressed a quick and shallow kiss on the back of her hand. Then the taller Black boy turned to his younger brother and gave him also a curt nod, followed by a quick tap on the shoulder.

 

“James, you alright there? You should go in already honey!” James heard her mother yell. He gave the last wave to his parents and turned away and stepped further into the corridor. He chose to head towards the front of the train, searching for a compartment with other first-graders. After walking the corridors all the way to the locomotive and seeing nothing but bunches of older students, he figured out the new pupils had located themselves in the back of the train. With a heavy sigh and a nasty look aimed at his trunk, he turned back and headed towards the end of the train.

 

After a while he accidentally bumped into something. Someone.

“Oh, I’m so sorry” James said after noticing he had hit someone with his trunk. The girl turned to face James. James recognized her to be the ginger girl on the platform comforting the sobbing girl. It seemed he had got it all wrong, it was the brisky girl who was heading to the unknown and the other girl that was being miserable to miss her. 

 

“Oh don’t be. It’s nothing. I’m Lily,” she said, smiling somewhat sadly at him. 

“You okay then? My name is James.”

“Hi James. I’m fine. It’s just that it seems that all the compartments are taken and I’m already really fed up dragging this stupid trunk and....and goodbyes are so annoying...Are you a first-grader?”

James continued smiling.

“Aren’t we lucky that I bumped into you like that! Yes, I’m also a first-timer. Let’s see if we could find some nice spot for us.” 

Lily nodded and followed James.

 

They pushed further towards the back of the train, squeezing through people hanging on the corridors. The Express whistled loudly and James felt butterflies flutter in his stomach as he imagined the train would soon start moving towards Hogwarts. Last of the pupils were now running on the platform to catch the train.

“I saw you there on the platform. It was your sister with you? She’s probably going to miss you very much.”

“Miss me? I don’t think so, we had an argument,” she murmured, quickly changing the topic, “do you have any sisters or brothers?” 

“None, though I always wanted to have.”

 

He thought how great it would be to have an argument with a brother. At first they would shout at each other, then they would wrestle on the ground. James would obviously win and he would sit on top of his brother’s chest and start to tickle him. Then they would be all good again. 

 

James snapped out his thoughts as he noticed a boy looking miserably lost. He had blonde hair that started straight and curled in at the end. His watery blue eyes were big and looked confused.

“Hey mate," James greeted, “a first-grader?” 

The boy nodded shyly.

“Us too! Nice to meet you! I’m James and this is Lil’”

“Lily, actually.”

“Stebbins. Stephen.” The boy nodded towards them.

“Come with us, we are going to find a compartment with more newcomers. We are fun company,” James was grinning at him, but Lily was looking out of the window towards the platform, sighing deeply. James decided to be fun on behalf of both of them.

“Okay then," the boy agreed and James patted him in the back.

“That’s the spirit, Stebbs!”

 

They went one more carriage further. There it was, a nearly empty compartment. Only Sirius Black was there, lounging on two seats, a book on his lap. He had discarded all of his aristocratic acts being now just another ordinary schoolboy waiting for the new adventure. James grinned and enthusiastically waived to his newly made friends in the corridor.

“See? Let’s ask if we can join him.”

And without waiting for an answer James, the natural born leader, knocked on the door and slid it open. The train began to move.

“Hello there! My name is James, and here are my friends Lil and Stebbs. We are the first time ever going to Hogwarts and other compartments were full. We were thinking, maybe we could join you?”

 

The Black boy let his cool gray eyes go from the wildly grinning James to Lily, who looked annoyed while she corrected her name, and to Stebbins who was looking around anxiously. Then Black flashed a polite smile and gestured with his hand invitingly.

“You’re welcome. Nice to have company. My name is Sirius.”

“That’s so great, Sirius! You’re the best, you know that," James said looking really grateful and that actually got a genuine smile out of the Black boy.

 

James stepped aside and gestured Lily and Stephen to go in first. After they had settled in and lifted their trunks on the shelves James seated himself opposite to Sirius. 

“So what are you reading, Sirius?” James asked. He lifted the book for James to see it was  _ The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 3  _ by Miranda Goshawk.

“Getting a head start, eh?” James smirked. 

“Revising,” Sirius returned the smirk. Stephen looked impressed. 

 

Their journey started quite nicely. Both Sirius and James enjoyed quidditch, and Stephen absolutely hated it, so Sirius and James had a wildly flowing discussion going on with each other, pretty much ignoring Stephen, who every now and then tried to pitch in. Lily was keeping by herself, sitting apart from the boys next to a window.

“And what sports do you enjoy, Lily?” Sirius asked, trying to politely include her to their company. She let out of a small sigh and James noticed she had been crying silently.

“Lil’ you okay..? Is it your sister-”

James was cut off by Lily’s tensed voice.

“I’m not gonna to talk about her!”

“Lil’-”

“AND IT IS EVANS TO YOU!”

“Okay  _ Evans _ ,” James sneered and lifted his hands up. Sirius Black was chuckling at him in his seat. 

 

The boys continued their conversation on a bit, talking about the Hogwarts’ quidditch pitch. Suddenly the door of the compartment slid open and a raven haired boy stepped in. He cast a quick and suspicious glance towards the three boys before seating himself opposite of Lily without bothering to introduce himself to anyone. He had already dressed in his school robes although they weren’t even halfway at the Hogwarts. James felt annoyed by the impolite intruder and he gave Sirius an irritated look. 

“ _ ‘O tempora, o mores’, _ ” Sirius rolled his eyes and continued like the boy was air to him, starting a discussion about Hogsmeade weekends and complaining that they needed to be third-graders before allowed to go there.

 

From the corner of his eye James noticed Lily was almost smiling again. It caught James’ attention. He was curious to listen what they were talking about. 

“You’d better be in Slytherin," James heard the boy say to Lily. From what James had heard of Slytherin, it was the least appealing house of Hogwarts.

“Slytherin?” James heard himself saying out loud before he could even think about it, “who wants to be a Slytherin? I think I’d leave, wouldn’t you?” he looked smirking at Sirius to get some assurance from the other boy. But Sirius Black didn’t smile at him anymore.

 

“My whole family have been in Slytherin,” he said, suddenly having that cool aristocratic essence in his appearance although he was still slouching on the seats. How it was even possible to appear aristocratic while lounging, James didn’t understand.   
“Blimey,” said James, running his hand through his short dark hair. He was starting to feel awkward, but then he added with a grin, “and I thought you seemed all right!”   
That made Sirius Black break into smile again.   
“Maybe I’ll break the tradition. Perhaps I’m a Hufflepuff.”

There was no hufflepuffy bone in Sirius Black there, James was quite sure about it.

“And where are you heading, if you’ve got the choice?” he asked James. It seemed they had again forgotten everyone else in the compartment, getting engrossed with each other.   
James lifted an invisible sword.   
“ ‘ _ Gryffindor, where dwell the brave at heart!’ _ Like my dad.”

The raven head boy let out a small irritating noise. James took it as a disparaging gesture. He turned at him.

“Got a problem with that?”

“No,” the boy sneered licking his thin lips annoyingly, ”if you rather be brawny than brainy -”

“Where’re you hoping to go, seeing as you’re neither?” interjected Sirius, looking at the boy nonchalantly. That made James to burst into laughter and Lily to stand up angrily. Lily looked from laughing James to stony faced Sirius in dislike.

 

“Come on, Severus, let’s find another compartment.”

“Oooooo…” both James and Sirius started to imitate her lofty voice. While they were on their way out James tried to make the boy trip as he passed him. 

“Good bye, was it Snivellus wasn’t it?” James yelled as the compartment door slammed.

“Well that was something!” Stephen yelped, his voice mixed with confusion and concern. Sirius had lost his stony appearance and he was laughing and shaking his head.

 

Suddenly the door of the compartment was ripped open again. A blond girl dressed in Slytherin colors with a shiny prefect badge attached to her school robe stood in the doorway, looking at James and Stephen with distaste. Sirius straightened right away and stood up. James and Stephen followed his lead, although they had no idea what was going on. Had Lily and that guy gone already whining about them? James moved closer to Sirius trying to get an eye contact with him. 

 

“Darling cousin I have been searching for you!” 

She stepped into the compartment and shoved James out of her way to be able to hug Sirius, pressing her cheek against his while giving light kisses to each side. 

“Oi! Watch it!” James said sharply, but the older student didn’t pay any attention towards him.

“Come on love, I’ve saved a seat for you with us. Amadeus was already asking for you, I think he’s nervous about the sorting,” she giggled, and with that she took a firm grip of his wrists and started pulling him towards the door. She shoved James aside again while exiting the compartment, Sirius trailing her. James was about to yell after them but Sirius turned back to James and said hastily: 

“My apologies!”

James decided to let it be. For now.

 

He turned to his other new friend, Stephen, and felt suddenly bored.

“Who are we, no one seems to care. Just the two of us now, after all those people rushing in and out.”

“Yep, you said it Stebbs.”

Really bored.


	2. On and on and on

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The sorting with the well-known plot twist takes place. Sirius and James have a discussion about the m-word.

“Bertram Aubrey!”

  
James watched how a clumsy and nervous looking boy stumbled on to the stand where a stool was placed. The strict looking teacher, who had presented herself as professor McGonagall, placed the old hat on the head of the boy. As soon as the hat touched the boy it called:  
“Ravenclaw!”  
A burst of cheers and aplodes came from the Ravenclaw table.

“Adrian Avalon!”  
A perky little boy emerged from the crowd of new pupils and sat eagerly on the stool. The hat took a bit more time before it decided:  
“Hufflepuff!”  
Avalon received aplodes from the Hufflepuff table. James watched him seat in the midst of older Hufflepuffs while Daemon Avery climbed to the stand to be sorted into Slytherin.

“Sirius Black!”  
Now the Slytherin table started to make a loud noise although Black was still making his way to the hat. They chanted Black! Black! Black! and drummed their hands on the table. Professor McGonagall gave the lot a disapproving look before she placed the hat on his head, and it took no time from the hat to announce the house.  
“Gryffindor!”

The whole Great Hall fell silent, except for one seemingly crazy girl at the Slytherin table, who kept on cheering for Sirius and clapping her hands vigorously. After a moment the Gryffindors joined her cheers but the Slytherins looked confused. James recalled how Sirius was saying in the train that all his family have been in Slytherin. This sudden unexpected incident made James chuckle a bit, but soon he was feeling sorry for the boy as Sirius was seemingly distressed about the situation.  
  
James watched how Sirius ripped the hat away and looked at McGonagall with an incredulous look on his face. James wondered did he just detect a small uncertainty in McGonagall’s face, but the stern professor firmly gestured Sirius Black to join the Gryffindor table. The Gryffindors cheered and offered seats to him, but he decided to go sit alone in the furthest corner of the table.

While Edgar Bones was asked to be sorted next, James noticed the Slytherin table was now buzzing, people were whispering at each other and glancing around to see Sirius. The blond girl, who had come for his Black cousin in the train, cast worried looks at Sirius and angry scowls towards professor McGonagall, like it was the professor’s fault that her cousin got sorted into a wrong house. By the time the hat had declared Bones to Hufflepuff, James had made a mental note to be the best friend for Sirius Black as soon as possible.

After Deborah Burke had been sorted into Slytherin, Lily Evans was called to the stand. James was still irritated that Evans had lashed at him in the train, after all he had been genuinely worried about the girl. But of all the irritating people he had met in the Express the most obnoxious person was definitely Sirius Black’s cousin. James wasn’t the kind of person to put up with pushing and shoving. He was going to get back at her.

“Gryffindor!”  
Although Evans got a roaring applause from the Gryffindors James was able to hear a groan behind his back. James glanced back and saw the third irritating person he had met in the train, the impolite raven haired boy staring sadly at the girl as she walked smiling happily towards the Gryffindor table. While passing Sirius in his lonely corner, Evans folded her arms and eyed daggers at him, although he seemed to politely move on the bench to offer a seat next to him. There was immediately made space for her in the midst area of the table and she sat down beaming.

“Remus Lupin!”  
James watched a small scruffy boy climb up to the stand. Before professor McGonagall placed the hat on the boy, James had the chance to admire his wild and messy looking hair, thick goldish-brown hair pointing on every possible direction. James’ mother had cut his hair last night and it was short. A little too short in his opinion. He ran his hand through it and realized he wanted to grow the same kind of messy-looking hair as this Lupin boy did have.

Professor placed the hat on him and James could see the boy trembling, maybe because he was anxious or maybe because he was afraid or both. The hat seemed to think quite long about the decision. Finally it announced him to belong to Gryffindor. Remus Lupin looked relieved when he emerged under the hat and went to sit to the Gryffindor table opposite of Lily Evans, where the crowd made room for him. James saw Evans smile at him and all the older Gryffindors to offer hands to shake. The Gryffindor crowd seemed to be a fun lot in James’ opinion.

With a little glance he checked on Sirius, sitting all by himself in the corner, apparently having lots of thoughts in his mind. Nearly all of his aristocratic essence had been melt away and he was sitting slouching in his seat, staring at his hands and looking sulky, not paying any attention when Mary Macdonald and Marlene McKinnon became his fellow Gryffindors. When Amadeus Mulciber was called to the stand, he quickly lifted his eyes towards him, but after hearing him being sorted into Slytherin he let his gaze drop back to his hands. James wished he could tap him on the back and make some good quip to laugh about and he imagined how it would cheer Sirius Black up.

“Peter Pettigrew!”  
Finally there was P going on. Soon it was going to be Potter’s turn. Now that James started to think of it, it felt like he had been standing there forever watching others to get sorted. He really strongly felt like Gryffindor was the only place for him.

Then again - that’s what Sirius Black had probably thought about Slytherin for himself. James shuddered as he narrowed his eyes to the old hat, thinking how wrong it was to throw oneself’s future in the mercy of a mean old magical hat.  
“Why can’t everyone just go where they wanna go,” James scoffed to the nearest first-grader who happened to be Stephen Stebbins. He looked at James with a lifted brow wondering what the other boy was going on about.  
“It’s the price for our minds,” some girl standing on the other side of Stebbins smirked at him. James didn’t quite catch what she meant but he smiled politely to her.

A glance to the stand showed that Pettigrew was still being sorted. He had seemed quite small, mousy boy with plump features. James humoured himself starting to think where he would go. Snake and eagle would definitely eat the mouse alive and for a lion it’s too small to be bothered. James had no idea what badgers did with mice. He giggled all by himself.  
“We should’ve made bets to make this more interesting,” he nudged Stebbins, making sure he said it so quietly that the odd girl didn’t hear him.

The sorting of Pettigrew went still on. The hat really took an eternity to decide where to put him. It made James even more nervous. An unsettling thought occured in his mind. Could the hat be like ‘no house for you here, mate’? It would be the saddest.

He let his glance wander from Peter Pettigrew to the Gryffindor table, thinking how much it meant for him that his father had been a Gryffindor. He knew his father would be proud of him even if he wouldn't end up in Gryffindor. But there was also Frank, a fun and forthright family friend. And Sirius Black, the boy he had felt a connection with immediately when they had met on the Express. He was starting to realize that it was the friendships and companionships that meant the world for him. He needed friends and family around him, to support each other and to share together.

James snapped out of his thoughts and concentrated back on the ceremony. There the little mousy-looking boy still was, shivering under the hat. James groaned in agony and shifted his weight from one leg to another impatiently. The sorting of this boy seemed to go on and on and on. James started to suspect that the hat had broken but the boy was too afraid to tell anyone.

James’ thoughts went back to Sirius’ sorting. What if James would be sorted into Slytherin? Would James really quit Hogwarts then like he had bragged in the Express? Would his father still be proud of him? What would his mother say? Maybe they would send him to Beauxbatons where his mother had studied. But the problem was that James sucked at French. Beauxbatons probably wouldn’t want him, the French were proud of their difficult language, James knew.

Finally the hat decided to sort Peter Pettigrew.  
“Gyffindor!” it bellowed. James, who also applauded to Pettigrew among Gryffindors, was already eager to get sorted himself. He received some weird looks from other first-graders.  
“What Snivellus?" He sneered to the greasy haired boy who was giving him the most ugliest looks. The guy rolled his eyes and James shifted his focus to professor McGonagall.

When James heard his name called, he had already started to make his way to the stand. He caught Frank Longbottom’s eye and received an encouraging nod from him. Frank was definitely expecting him to get to Gryffindor, they had talked about it last summer when the Longbottoms had visited the Potters. And to Gryffindor James was going. As soons as the hat touched him, it announced him to belong to Gryffindor. He got a loud applause and with a wide grin he sailed to the scarlet and gold clad table, nodding and waving his hand to every Gryffindor who’s eyes he was able to meet. He politely declined over the seat that was freed to him beside that Lupin boy, and chose to sit in the empty corner where Sirius Black was sulking.

The sudden unexpected company made Sirius Black straighten up in his seat and in a split second he had gathered his elegance back to his appearance. James fixed a friendly gaze at him.  
“Nice to meet you again, Black.”  
“Potter," he nodded and offered a faint smile. James answered by letting his smile grow wider.  
“I guess you really broke the tradition then, huh mate? Congratulations not ending up in Hufflepuff!”  
Sirius Black nodded slowly, apparently remembering very well the joke he had made in the Express, about him being a Hufflepuff instead of a Slytherin. He mumbled some congratulations to James too, then he started looking at James apologetically.  
“I am sorry. I don’t mean to be like...I just...I really don’t care any of this sorting, for me it’s as vital as the horoscopes,” he rolled his eyes when mentioning the star signs, “but I’m afraid my dear mother won’t view it that way.”  
“My parents told me no matter which house I get in they’ll be proud of me," James told in order to promote the universal parents’ love for their offspring, not understanding it only irritated the other boy more.  
“Well good for you," Sirius grunted fixing his eyes back to the sorting ceremony. Some tall girl was being sorted into Ravenclaw. Quickly James figured out he had upset Sirius more and tried to cheer him up.  
“So I take it that your mother also likes horoscopes," James joked, “hopefully you didn’t end up in the wrong house in that field too.”  
James managed to get a mischievous grin out of Black.  
“Huh, I’m pretty sure she would have made me climb back to her belly and wait until the stars are on their right place.”

They laughed at their jape while Severus Snape was sorted into Slytherin. That made Sirius sigh and fall into gloom mood again.  
James placed his hand on his shoulder, encouraged by their shared laughter. The touch startled Sirius a bit, but he didn’t resist it. Sirius shook his head and let out a dry laughter.  
“Just thinking about how my dear mother will react when she learns that I disgraced the most noble and pompous family of the sacred twenty-eight and then," he gestured towards Severus Snape who was making his way to the green-silvery table, “all these get in. Have you ever heard of any Snapes? Must be a half-blood, I don’t think mud-bloods can get in.”

Right after the m-word James detached his hand from Sirius’ shoulder and cast a stern look at Sirius.  
“Hey mate, not cool. Not at all.”  
Sirius nodded, sighing.  
“I know, mate. My mother is anything but cool.”  
“What about you, Black? Going around using that m-word?” James kept his eyes nailed at Sirius. Sirius shrugged.  
“Look, Potter. I don’t care about this purebood-nonsense. Like not at all, got it? I was just saying that my dear mother has some iss-”  
“Then don’t go around saying that m-word, you got it?” James said still angrily. Now Sirius started to get angry too. Sirius was about to say something when a sudden realization slowly brushed his face. James also started to understand that the Blacks were as narrow-minded as their reputation told them to be, and that Sirius Black and James Potter had been brought up in very different kinds of surroundings.  
“Oh, you mean like mud-”  
“I seriously need to punch you if you say that word again,” James interrupted calmly. He had lost the anger from his tone but he was still studying Sirius with a stern face.

Sirius shut his mouth, and looked down at his hands. Now it was Stephen Stebbins being sorted into Hufflepuff.  
“My apologies. I...I...it seems, that I wasn’t fully aware of all the connotations of that word...that people aren’t using that word...that m-word as casually as my prejudiced family does.”  
He looked really embarrassed now. And James felt his heart melt for this poor boy. They were going to be good friends. He knew it. Felt it. Wanted it.  
“It’s okay, mate. I can see you’re a good guy. And your mother is away and can’t get to you.”  
“You wish. Just wait for the howler I’m bound to receive tomorrow.”


	3. Here shall we live

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys settle in their dormitory and it seems like everyone else in the castle is more Slytherin than Sirius.

After the feast was over, all the first year Gryffindors lined up behind the prefects and they slowly started to make their way to the dormitory, the prefects giving them a small welcoming tour while making the climb to the Gryffindor tower.

 

“Our stuff is already here! How neat!” Peter was delighted after the four Gryffindor boys had entered their dorm room. James laughed at him while throwing himself on the bed that had his trunk placed beside it, thinking that the headmaster Dumbledore had told that before the food had appeared to the tables. 

“Petey! Not much of a listener, are you!” James japed sparkly throwing a pillow at Peter. 

“Hey you!” Peter returned the pillow almost immediately towards James and it was followed by another one as Peter threw his own pillow after it.

“Hahaha, this means war you know!” James bellowed and threw the pillows back. But then suddenly third pillow flew against his face.

“Where did that come from," James wondered but one look at grinning Sirius told him that aristocratic Black boy was behind it.

“Sorry, I just wanted to join in," he shrugged laughing.

“Hey little help here please, would you mind join my side? Mr Lupin was it?” James’ voice was muffled as Peter returned the two pillows.

 

The fourth boy was sitting on his bed next to the window, opposite of James, looking rather irritated instead of enthusiastic about the pillow fight happening in front of him.

“I am truly sorry, mr Potter, but I rather see myself as a peace envoy -”

He was cut off because James threw all the three pillows at him. He looked down at the pillow stack, then threw himself on top of it.

“Well thank you gentlemen, it seems I will be sleeping very comfortable next night with all these pillows…”

“Hey, give me my pillow back!” Peter shrieked charging towards him from the other side of the dorm. Sirius, who got the bed next to Remus’, was there first jerking the pillows and trying to get Remus to fall off the stack. 

“Okay okay, I yield," Remus quickly surrendered. The three boys took one pillow and everyone went back to sit on their beds.

 

“That was fun," James beamed, “I have a feeling we’re going to be the best of mates. Think about all the adventures we are heading into!”

Remus Lupin scoffed and all the three other boys turned to look at him. He seemed to blush a little, maybe because he wasn’t used to be the center of attention or maybe because he had let out the scoffing noise in accident.

“I am sorry. Not trying to be the boring one here but I’m afraid that that’s me. The boring one. I’m mostly looking forward to study.”

“Oh come on Remy, live a little," James encouraged, lifting a pillow again to start a new fight. Remus’ suffering expression made James give up the idea.

 

“Hey guys, did the hat put you straight to Gryffindor?” Peter changed the topic. He was sitting cross legged on his bed next to James’, hugging his pillow he had saved a moment ago from Remus Lupin.

“Yes," James answered at the exact same time when Remus said “No.”

Peter looked at Remus like he had just brought some salvation with him. 

“Me neither," Peter admitted, smiling at Remus.

“Yeah Petey, the hat took like forever before deciding on you. I thought it broke on your head,” James snickered still remembering how annoying it had been to be so close to his own turn and yet that one person’s sorting took forever, “was the hat like trying to fit you in every house?”

“No...it thought only between Gryffindor and...and Slytherin," he lifted his eyes back to Remus, like he was waiting for him to confess also as being considered into Slytherin. But it was Sirius who talked first.

“Slytherin,  _ you _ ?” 

James wasn’t sure how that was supposed to be heard. He was recalling the rather unpleasant discussion in the Great Hall when that Snape boy had been sorted. 

“I at least can identify features from all of the houses in me," James said swiftly, surprising himself how mature he sounded for an eleven years old kid. It made him grin inwards.

“Says James  _ gonna-leave-if-Slytherin _ Potter,” Sirius scoffed but James quickly turned the attention towards Remus.

“So Remus, were you also considered as Slytherin?”

“Yeah, why not, it seems that everyone in this castle is more Slytherin than me," Sirius grunted, probably more to himself than the others but everyone heard it still. Peter even tried to ask that isn’t it a good thing but got ignored.

“No, not Slytherin," Remus answered shortly while organizing his stuff to his nightstand. The others waited him to continue but he just kept on arranging his books and other things, ignoring the others.

“Not much of a talker this one, eh?” Sirius said with a bit lighter tone now, laying back on his bed.

 

“I thought I was going to be a Slytherin. Like all of the Blacks before me," Sirius then suddenly confided, staring at the ceiling of his four-poster. “This sucks," he sighed. James and Peter glanced at each other, lifting their brows. Sirius then sat up on his bed and continued: “Not this, being a Gryffindor. Like really not this. Just...me not being a Slytherin might be a problem. My family...or my mother at least…I’m the eldest son, the heir,” his voice died out. After a short pause he continued with a more calm voice, “I have two cousins in Slytherin at the moment. And some other people I know...family acquaintances. What ever.”

“Yeah mate, whatever. I’m so glad none of us is a Slytherin. This is your house now and we’re your mates. Not your family’s but yours, Sirius Black. From now on you make your own legends. With us. Don’t you worry,” James encouraged, moving to Sirius’ bed sitting down next to him, wrapping his arm around his shoulders. He heard Remus sneer at the next bed.

“Adventures, legends...you really make it sound like we’re about to start in a Marvel comic instead of a school.”

“In what?” All three boys turned to stare at Remus. Remus whisked his hand in the air.

“Never mind. Now if you don’t mind I’m starting to make my way to bed.”

They watched in silence as Remus found his toothbrush and went to the dormitory’s bathroom, closing the door behind him.

“I think he’s not impressed with us," Sirius said quietly watching the closed bathroom door like trying to see through it. James shrugged.

“Maybe he’s just shy. Here shall we live, the four of us, he’ll come around.”

“Why didn’t he tell us what was the other house he was about to go?” Peter wondered.

 

The door of the bathroom opened with a creak and Remus stuck his head out of the door. 

“Ravenclaw," he said, “the hat thought I should be either in Ravenclaw or Gryffindor. And I can assure I am really pleased to be in this house with you, gentlemen.” The he vanished again behind the bathroom door. All the three boys were grinning at his last confession.


	4. Echoes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All them big and fancy words.

James was sure he was the first one awake. He had promised to write a letter to his mother as soon as he had been sorted, but obviously last night had been exciting enough without a trip to owlery as well. He pulled the curtains of his bed aside to see Sirius Black exercising in the middle of the room, doing pushups in complete silence. Looking as graceful as ever, not even breaking up in sweat.

“Oh, good morning James,” he came to a stop and whispered, “my apologies, mate! I tried to keep quiet...didn’t feel like having an audience in the common room just yet.”

“Oh no, it’s not you. I just need to write to my parents. So I thought to be quick so I won’t miss breakfast,” James whispered back.

“Oh yeah. I should probably write too. I could company you to the owlery?”

“That would be cool! Let’s get some quill and parchment, shall we.”

 

After some silent scribbling in their beds, they descended from the dorm to the common room. Few Gryffindors were already awake and they wished good-mornings before proceeding through the portrait door. They started to make their way to the owlery using instructions the prefects had given them last night.

 

“Do you feel better now?” James asked watching Sirius carefully. Sirius let out a small laugh.

“James, I’m really fine. Feeling great. Yesterday I wasn’t quite myself. Everything was so new and it all happened so quickly. I could say I freaked out. But today I’m fine,” he looked at James and grinned, “just look at me being a healthy and happy Gryffindor. Who would’ve believed that of me?” 

James grinned back at him.

“So did you write about sorting too?”

“Yeah...a bit. You can read it if you want to," he gave his parchment to James who read it eagerly. It was interesting to get a sneak peek in Sirius Black’s mind. James offered his letter to Sirius for a read but the other boy didn’t even care to glance at it. James made a mental note to teach Sirius Black that James Potter is also an interesting person whose letters are worth of reading.

 

_ “Hi Reg! _

 

_ You won’t believe it - I actually didn’t make it into Slytherin. Now the sorting is done and there is nothing to do about it. I myself can not fully believe it yet. Of course I’m quite sure Cissy has already owled this tragedy to our dear mother. If you won’t hear about me anymore, you know I’m probably dead because mother send a cursed howler that exploded my head away. Inutile de discuter. _

 

_ Hogwarts is a great place. You will love this castle when you get here. The headmaster Dumbledore really does seem quite an oddball, just like the portrait of our beloved great great grandpa Phineas Nigellus warned us.  _

 

_ I made some friends too. Like fun friends that make me laugh. I haven’t even spoken with those idiots we met at Bella’s wedding. Expect for the train trip because Cissy made me sit with them. And Lucius keeps becoming more and more annoying, he’s such a cretin. Drom will murder him on their wedding night. She promised so. _

 

_ Hopefully you don’t rot in boredom there now that I’m gone. Take care! _

 

_ Toujours purgatoire! _

_ Sirius _

 

“Oh,” James said after he had read the letter,

“This Drom-person sounds scary. And lots of foreign words.”

James was a smart kid but languages were something he quite didn’t get his head wrapped around. Luckily there were none coming at his way at Hogwarts. 

 

“You didn’t write to your parents then?”

“No,” Sirius admitted, “Regulus is my little brother.”

James nodded, thinking how awesome it would be to have a little brother to whom to owl all the exciting happenings of the last night.

“Nice that you mentioned us too, friend,” James slapped Sirius friendly on the back.

“I actually meant Peter and Remus there,” Sirius joked. James poked his tongue out.

“Sure you did.”

 

“You didn’t mention that you are a Gryffindor though," James pointed out. Sirius shrugged.

“I...I thought they’re not interested in. Other parts that not a Slytherin.”

“I’m sure your brother would like to know. Maybe he’ll end up into Gryffindor also!”

“Yeah...maybe I’ll add there a post scriptum when we reach to the owlery”.

 

After the owlery the boys went straight to the Great Hall to find Peter and Remus having breakfast with Marlene McKinnon, Lily Evans and Mary Macdonald.

“Did you all sleep well?” James asked smiling widely. He got different kinds of murmurs as an answer as everyone was gulping down their breakfast.

“I slept wonderfully, like a baby!” he declared, and again he received only mutters as answers. He turned to Sirius who was sitting next to him and who hadn’t got the chance to put food in his mouth yet.

“So I guess this Cissy you mentioned in the letter is the one who hijacked you in the train yesterday?”

“Yes. Narcissa. She’s on her sixth year here. My cousin. Quite alright, very persuasive person but I guess she means well to everyone,” Sirius smiled fondly thinking of his cousin. But then the smile died and he continued with more tight tone, “it just bothers me that she cares far too much about my dear mother’s opinions.”

“Well, yesterday it seemed that you did too," James nudged Sirius trying to get out a laugh, but obviously Sirius wasn’t ready to make a joke about it. James got a hostile look from Sirius.

“A weak moment there, don’t hang on it mate,” Sirius snapped and started to chew his bread.

 

“Hi Frank!” James suddenly yelled at the otherside of the long table, happy to get something else to think than angry Sirius, “so nice to be here at last!” He turned back to other first-grade Gryffindors. 

“Hey folks, see that lad over there, he’s Frank Longbottom, he is such a great guy! I’ve known him since we were toddlers.”

All the Gryffindor first-graders peeked at the brisky boy who was waving at their way.

“Yeah he is really nice, I talked with him this morning in our common room," Marlene McKinnon said and waved also back at him, “he is like third year now, is he?” 

“I think I’m somehow related to some Longbottoms. Can’t remember though how," Sirius mentioned casually, digging in his porridge, “I think I’ve seen some Potter up there also in our ancient family tree.”

“Didn’t you mention last night that you too have some family friends here? Are they all Slytherins?” James asked from Sirius cautiously, ready to take cover if a sudden burst of anger would occur. But although Sirius wasn’t willing to make quips about his mother, Sirius seemed to be quite alright with his Gryffindorhood today.

“Yeah. Our family does these really awkward gatherings. Soirees, dinners, the kind of dull social meetings. Two months ago was my eldest cousin’s wedding, that was a big event.”

“Oh yes," Mary Macdonald yelled in excitement, “of course you’re related. I thought I recognized those cheekbones. Bellatrix Lestrange! A smart and powerful woman, such a striking beauty. Inspiration to us all. There was a featured article about their wedding in Witchcraft Today. It’s the only magazine I bother to read,” Mary explained to Lily, who first looked puzzled and then rolled her eyes. Sirius scoffed.

“Gossips and trash. But yeah, there are lots of people who want to lick your butt just because your last name has the right cling," he swished his hand gesturing towards the Slytherin table, “but I won’t go calling them my friends.”

“Please, gentlemen, let’s not discuss butts in our breakfast table," Remus grimaced.

 

“What is it with all these fancy words?” Peter grunted suddenly. He had been concentrating on eating in silence so others pretty much thought he had zoned out of the conversation.

“You," he turned to Remus, “you keep calling us  _ ‘gentlemen’ _ all the freaking time and you,” he turned to Sirius, “I get it that you seem to think yourself as the crown prince of darkness or something that sort but I really don’t know any other eleven year old kid who uses big words like that. What was it yesterday?  _ ‘Acquaintances’ _ ? And what an earth is a  _ ‘swaree’ _ ?”

“Oh Petey! You are a listener after all!” James laughed clasping his hands together, looking delighted, “I’m pretty sure I also said something fancy yesterday," he insisted trying to recall had there been anything peculiar worth to mention.

“Echoes from my  _ maitresse _ , I was homeschooled, you cretin," Sirius scuffed and bit his bread, “of course I’m eloquent and sophisticated talker," he continued mouth full of bread, not eloquently at all, “maybe that makes  _ you _ take me as a prince. And it’s okay, I can prince for you if you like, Pettigrew.”

“And I do not think gentlemen is a ‘big’ nor a ‘fancy’ word," Marlene pointed out. 

“Marl here is so right,” James nodded and tried to high five her but the girl left him hanging. Also Remus agreed. 

“My dad uses it all the time, and he’s no fancy man, I can assure you. And neither am I," he snickered.

“We all have been to school of some sort before this, right? It doesn’t mean you have to use them although you know them, your highness" Peter continued mocking Sirius, “and okay, maybe I am accepting gentlemen then," he added to Remus, turning then to James, “and no Potter, I don’t think you can speak very big words.”

Lily gave a cheeky look at James and continued Peter’s rant:

“Yeah, Potter. On the contrary actually, why do you have to keep on giving those stupid nicknames all the time?” 

“It’s just my way to show my tender affection and appreciation towards you all," James grinned spreading his arms like he was about to call a big group hug. Peter tossed a bread towards him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pardon Sirius' French. It seems the poor lad have had his pre-Hogwarts education in French and cannot help but throw a phrase or two here and there.  
>   
>  _inutile de discuter_ \- pointless to discuss  
>  _toujours_ \- always/forever/permanently  
>  _purgatoire_ \- purgatory  
>  _maitresse_ \- teacher


	5. The walls shall have eyes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Black cousins meddling all over.

They were finishing their breakfast when the sudden flock of owls bursted in. James and Sirius looked immediately at each other, preparing for the worst.

“Oh no...that’s the Black family owl," Sirius whispered quietly pointing out a large horned owl. The owl indeed was carrying a red message. But for the boys’ surprise the owl didn’t head towards Sirius. It flew straight to the teachers’ table and dropped the red envelope at the professor McGonagall’s breakfast. Sirius stood up to get a better view of the events. McGonagall looked irritated but headmaster Dumbledore, who was sitting next to her, pointed his wand at the howler and it burned to ashes, without shouting a word nor exploding. 

 

“Wow! That's a spell I'm eager to learn," Peter sighed impressed. Others nodded. The professor and the headmaster were whispering furiously to each other, and then professor McGonagall focused her piercing eyes at Sirius for a second. She then stood up, grabbed some other professor on her way, ripping him out of the table in the middle of his porridge, and dragged him out of the Great Hall.

“I’m quite disappointed. There could have been some clever curse attached to the howler," Sirius said laughing, “my dear mother is gifted in those sorts of things.”

 

“Sirius!”

Two Slytherin girls had emerged and were now standing behind James and Sirius. The boys turned around on their bench. The other one James recognized as the blonde cousin, Narcissa. The other one had hauntingly beautiful grey eyes, brown lustrous curls framing her face with those recognisable Black features. James realized her to be that clapping Slytherin in the sorting ceremony, who had kept on cheering Sirius when everyone else in the Great Hall had been just staring at him in complete silence. 

 

“Cissy and Drom! You probably noticed what our Bubo was delivering? It seems I didn’t have the honor to receive one. I’m not quite sure should I consider myself lucky or removed from the tapestry.”

The brown haired girl chuckled and nudged the blond girl standing next to her.

“Well it was our Cissy who actually sent the first letter - not to aunt Walburga though but to our father, who probably alerted your dear mother. With Cissy around you can count on that the walls shall have eyes, cousin!”

“Andromeda Black!” Cissy hissed sharply at her, fingering nervously her silvery necklace, a vicious looking snake with green jewels as it’s eyes.

 

James cleared his throat and tried to take part in the conversation:

“Well, I think it doesn’t matter. Momma Black needed to know anyway. Why not rip the plaster away quickly rather than -”

The two Slytherin girls cast cold looks down at James that silenced him at once.

“Anyway," Cissy continued, not minding about Potter, which angered James as he was feeling the whole train incident happening all over again, 

“I was thinking, we should meet up today after classes. And by we I mean our extended family - me, Dromeda, you Sirius and Lucius.”

“Not him," both Sirius and Andromeda snapped. 

“Of course him too. Less than a year and he is joined our family through marriage," she took Andromeda’s hand to her own and squeezed it but Andromeda withdrew it back.

“Fuck Lucius. Fuck aunt Walburga. Fuck our father too," Andromeda said casually. Then she leaned towards Sirius.

“Cousin, I love you. Anything you need, you can ask from me. I’m on your side.”

She kissed his cheek lightly and then straightened up and glanced towards the Gryffindors.

“I’m proud of you lil’ cousin. Maybe even a bit threatened by you ‘cause it seems like I’m not the whitest sheep of the Black family anymore. But I’ll come up with something, just you see.”

Sirius and Andromeda laughed, and James joined their laughter, probably just trying to make an impression. Narcissa looked horrified.

“Stop talking like that, both of you. Oh no, Lucius comes! He shouldn’t be seeing us hovering over Gryffindor table -”

“I can do whatever I please," Andromeda said smugly. Lucius Malfoy sailed towards them. He stalked between other pupils with an easy, effortless pace, eyes locked at the very unusual sight of Black family gathering happening in the Gryffindor table. His skin was even paler that Sirius’ and James thought it had a nearly grey shade in it.

 

“My ladies,” he had an annoyingly nasal tone in his voice, “Sirius, how are you doing?” he offered his hand to Sirius but Andromeda slapped it away with her hand that had very many shiny and snazzy rings, but the most pretentious ornament was an oddly lively tattoo of a green snake, starting at her wrist, then slithering on the back of her hand, finally its head wrapped around her right middle finger. 

“Don’t bother! This is a family matter and it doesn’t concern you!”

“Oh but my darling if I just --”

“Don’t you dare to  _ darling _ me!”

“Andromeda Black, behave yourself at once!” Narcissa snapped and apologized to Malfoy on behalf of her sister, trying to mumble an excuse how her sister was under a heavy stress. Lucius Malfoy looked like he had used to be treated like this by her ill-tempered fiancée. 

 

Narcissa then turned her blue pleading eyes to Sirius, silently asking for help. Sirius was apparently very much enjoying the show but reluctantly he stood up. He shaked Malfoy’s hand briskly and gripped both of his shoulders and took a firm eye contact to him even though he was shorter than Malfoy.

“Lucius, old friend. Could you please excuse us? I am in a dire need of having this discussion with my darling cousins and only with them, although I do not doubt that your insight would be a great asset to us all.” 

James glanced at Peter wondering what he thought about all the courteous apologizing Sirius and Narcissa were jabbering towards Malfoy but the boy seemed to look at the family drama happening in front of him with a great interest. 

“...My deepest apologies of course. And I am very sure your heart’s chosen one will find you later on, isn’t that true Drom?," and without waiting for any answers Sirius whirled Malfoy around and pushed him further. And Malfoy left, without saying a word anymore.

“Oh now you have upset him," Narcissa cried out in frustration and ran after him. Sirius shrugged.

“Nothing ever satisfies you little sister.”

“Yes that’s Cissy, always too demanding. Thank you cousin, you’re the best," Andromeda beamed at Sirius. James stood up right away and offered his hand.

“Hello, I’m James!”

Andromeda watched his hand like it was something fishy a cat had brought in and lifted a brow. Then she addressed Sirius again ignoring James. 

“I need to go. I’ll catch up with you later. Keep you head high, cousin!”

 

“Oh Merlin I’m so in love with your cousin!” James sighed watching after Andromeda, his hand still stretched out for a handshake he never received. 

“Me too!” Peter sighed on the other side of table.

“Stop lusting over my cousin. Andromeda is engaged with that Malfoy-idiot,” Sirius said while pushing James’ hand down and jerking him back to sitting on the bench.

“They didn’t seem to be so in love," James said dreamily, “do you think I might have a chance?”

Sirius didn’t even bother to answer.

“And I wasn’t talking about the scary tattooed hooligan but the nice and fair one," Peter said with a dreamy face, “she’s the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen.” 

Sirius let out a snickering laughter.

“What’s in you for her then? I don’t recall hearing your last name ever before last night so I’m quite sure I won’t be seeing you in our family dinners like ever,” Sirius smirked arrogantly.

“Piss of Black. You sound like a bully,” Remus said across the table, placing his hand on Peter’s shoulder supportively. Remus looked Sirius calmly but with a clear distaste in his eyes. The smirk on Sirius’ face died and he looked annoyed.

“Whatever, Lupin, I’m not expecting you to understand how it is. But that’s exactly how it is. Narcissa is anyway promised to my little brother. They’ll get engaged in four years, after Regulus have turned 13.”

“But...but they’re cousins!” Peter insisted, “it’s not a good idea for cousins to marry!”

“Not to mention she has long been a woman of age when she’ll get engaged with a schoolboy,” Mary noted, “sounds creepy. I like Bellatrix the best, she’s got style.”

“Like any of us had anything to say who we ought to marry,” Sirius snorted, “gotta protect the pureness of the blood, they say.”

 

Remus and Lily Evans seemed to shiver with that last notion, and Mary and Marlene changed glances. James wanted to have a quick change of topic before the discussion would go into more heated areas.

 

“So Sirius...to whom are you promised? You’re the Black heir after all. A prince, I might add”, he smirked at Peter’s direction who seemed not taken any offence by Sirius’ harsh words towards the Pettigrews' unsung heritage.

“Yeah! Is she attending Hogwarts also?” Mary leaned towards Sirius, eager to learn new gossips.

“I bet she’s some really mean Slytherin who has a bad mouth and an ill temper,” Marlene teased.

“Oh but that sounds like a match well made,” Lily giggled and other girls and Peter joined in her laughter.

“Hey watch it Evans, you’re hurting my friend’s feelings here. Princes are delicate,” James quipped. Now Remus joined the laughter too. Sirius seemed to be troubled with the conversation but he answered anyway.

“No. Not yet. Mother has some candidates, obviously, but she hasn’t paraded them around," Sirius said dryly, pushing the leftover porridge around on his bowl. 

“Are you gonna do it,” Remus asked, “marry someone your parents have chosen for you?”

“Yeah, where do you come from, dude? From Victorian age? That is like really out-dated custom,” Marlene agreed.

“I dunno, haven’t thought about it really," he said, staring the porridge lump on his bowl. Then he cheered up and grinned:

“My cousin Drom is going to murder his newly-wed husband on their wedding night, I have to come up with something too. I really want to be the whitest sheep of our Black family.”

James laughed with him, after the grim and gloom twist of conversation, they were on the same humourous page again. And this jape also included Andromeda which somehow made James feel like he should laugh a little louder than normally. Others grimaced. Remus said it out loud:

“Sirius, your clan is disturbed.”

“And I am probably the best evidence of it," Sirius grinned.

“I couldn’t agree more,” Lily said dryly.


	6. But who knows?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The schoolwork begins.

After the breakfast they had orientation in professor McGonagall’s transfiguration classroom. She quickly handed them maps for the castle and told few warnings - not to go to the Forbidden Forest, to stay away from the deathly violent Whomping Willow and to behave themselves as good as possible. She then went on about the House Cup and the point system, which in James’ opinion was the most boring way ever to motivate pupils to behave. At least James knew that when he was old he wouldn’t be telling his grandchildren stories about winning some stupid house cup by behaving the whole year boringly. No, he wanted to tell them about adventures and exciting stories. Stories about how he sneaked into the Forbidden Forest or defied the Whomping Willow.

 

After her half an hour monologue professor McGonagall started to hand out the timetables for the class. She gave everyone else’s but Sirius’ she kept to herself.

“You are dismissed. Now go to your first lesson and remember, you are representing not only yourself but our whole house. Go on!” 

Sirius was about to complain that he hadn’t got the timetable when she turned and talked to Sirius, looking highly irritated.

“Mr Black, could you join me in my office right now?” 

 

The others watched Sirius trailing McGonagall out of the transfiguration classroom, except for Remus who was already studying his timetable.

“I can’t believe we aren’t getting any proper orientation for the actual studies,” he shook his head, “just head first into lessons. I don’t even know where the library is.”

James smiled at him.

“We will find it for you Remy. I promise.”

 

Their first lesson was going to be potions. After the orientation the first-grader Gryffindors, excluding poor Sirius, climbed back to their tower to get books for the day. James took Sirius’ too, as all of his stuff was scattered on and around his bed. James figured out McGonagall wouldn’t be able to keep him at her office the whole day.

 

James, Peter and Remus met the girls in their common room and together as a cheerful group they started to descend the endless staircases down to the damp dungeons.

“Why on Earth does a school have dungeons? Makes me wonder what kind of school this is,” Peter said aloud at least three times on their way.

 

Their lesson was going to be shared with the Slytherins. To their dismay the Slytherins were living up to their reputation as they proved to be a rude and mean bunch right from the start. 

“Do you know what we think about you lot?” A dark-skinned girl with obtrusive platinum hair and sharp pointy nose said, her dark eyes grinning mischievously.

“We do not care, point your pointy nose to some other’s business," James answered, and turned his back to the Slytherins.

“Gryffindors egos are so big they don’t fit in. That makes them think their somehow special although they’re really just mentally disabled and they call it bravery.”

Four Slytherin girls laughed, the pointy nose girl looking very pleased at herself. James turned back at them.

“That didn’t even make any sense, you know that?”

“Yes, I think it was probably the worst insult I’ve ever heard," Remus sneered.

“What is this poor-looking boy dressed in rags trying to speak with me?  I don’t associate with beggars!”

That made Remus silent, the girls giggle and James redden in anger. Yeah it was pretty obvious for James too that Remus had dressed in second hand robes and that his equipment wasn’t new and shiny as most of the first class. James clothes and things were the best and in tact, but still he knew better than go around and insult others about their shortage, need or poverty. It was just vicious thing to do in James’ opinion.

 

One Slytherin boy, who James remembered from the sorting, Mulciber, stepped in front.

“Do these Gryffindor scum bother you, Deborah? Say just one word and I teach them for you.”

The girls giggled again, eyeing Mulciber with catty looks. In James’ eye it was hard to say whether they were laughing with Mulciber or at him. James was about to answer something witty when the teacher arrived with Sirius. The teacher was holding Sirius in front of him, keeping his hand on his shoulder. Sirius’ face was unreadable. That made James worry.

 

“Good morning class! I - I mean we - are truly sorry for this slight delay, we had some really important matters to sort, didn’t we young mr Black?”

Without waiting for an answer he opened the door to the classroom and pushed through, keeping Sirius still in front of him, not letting go of his shoulder.

 

The pupils swarmed between tables and sat down with pairs. James took a seat from the back row as far from the teacher’s desk he could get. Peter followed him but James asked as politely as he could him to sit with Remus because he was saving the seat for Sirius. Peter and Remus sat in the desk in front of James’.

 

“I’m thrilled to have you all here!” The teacher’s voice boomed, “let us start with introductions here. I have had the pleasure to chat a bit with my Slytherins as I am the head of the house Slytherin but let's give a chance to our fellow Gryffindors to get to know us. My name is Horace Slughorn, and this bright young star here," he took a moment to savor his own joke while James rolled his eyes at him, “is Sirius Black. Aren’t you?”

Sirius nodded, looking highly irritated. 

“This young gentleman here comes from a very old and noble family. I have been delighted to teach many Blacks and of course I really happily collect them into my house as you may know.”

 

Remus turned to give a puzzled look at James. Was Sirius in Slytherin now? James was pretty sure you couldn’t change your house after sorting.

 

“Sirius has decided to join my club, the Slug Club, which some of you might already belong to. It is a club for special and talented youngsters I myself have handpicked. But enough of us, let’s have a tour, shall we. You there, go on.”

 

“I am Mary Macdonald and...well nothing special or talented in me I guess,” she shrugged. Professor Slughorn was still keeping Sirius in his grip in front of the class for no reason at all as he started to interrogate Mary.

“Oh don’t be so modest, my dear. Maybe we have heard of your parents?”

“Errm...my mother is Ivy Macdonald. Crane was her maiden name. Nothing special there. My father is a muggle.” 

 

Some Slytherins started make a hissing sound. Professor Slughorn tutted.

“Now let’s not go there. I know these are troubled times and certain unpleasant attitudes have risen lately. But we are different here. There is nothing wrong in a nice dose of healthy muggle blood rushing through your veins, right. My family of course has the privilege to be one of the so called  _ sacred twenty-eight _ , just like our mr Black’s here. But of course it means nothing, just a mere curiosity. Let’s go on then, what about you my dear?”

“I am Marlene McKinnon and I -”

“Oh dear,” Slughorn interrupted enthusiastically, “by any chance are you affiliated with the Impossible Flyin’ McKinnon? Probably the greatest quidditch player of all time.”

“Hmm. Not that I know. McKinnon is pretty common surname,” she shrugged.

“Right then. Let’s continue.”

 

“Remus Lupin.”

“Oh, but don’t tell me...are you the son of Lyall Lupin? He was a very bright young man, one of the finest I can assure you. I am well aware of his work with non-beings. Who knows, you might have inherited your father's wits, I will keep an eye on you. Much to my displease though I must admit I haven’t heard about your father in the last decade or so. Don’t tell me he took some ministry job and buried himself there?”

“Erhm. I guess that’s exactly what happened,” Lupin mumbled, seemingly annoyed.

Professor Slughorn sighed.

“What a waste. He could’ve been anything. Well of course not all of us can hit home runs.” 

James saw Remus clenching his fist. Professor Slughorn seemed to be one of the most annoying persons James had ever met so far.

 

“Peter Pettigrew, sir.”

“Petty-who? I can not say I have heard about the Pettifoggers before. Let’s -”

James Potter had had enough.

“Professor,” James felt like he needed to step up and defend his housemates, “you haven't heard of the Pettigrews because it’s our Petey here who will make the house great.” 

James just couldn’t take it up anymore. What was the point of this  _ ‘tour’ _ ?

“Is that so mr Pedigree?”

“Errh. M-maybe…”

“So mr. Pedigree, can I kindly fish for information what might be your field of expertise?” Slughorn stared at Peter expecting.

Peter gazed at the professor mouth open but not getting any sound out of himself. 

“Of course I’m hoping you to ace in potions. Not? Maybe you’re a brilliant charmer? Has anyone ever told you are an extraordinary at something?” Slughorn inquiered. 

“Pettigrew is really good at...writing poems,” James quickly made up, regretting it on the very instant.

 

Sirius, still standing in front of the class in professor’s firm grip, let out a burst of laughter. Other Gryffindors and also Slytherins were eyeing both Peter and James with a keen interest.

“Well that sounds fantastic!” Slughorn boomed sounding genuinely delighted, “I am the most greatest friend of poetry! Maybe we can hear something from you?”

“Erhm…”

“Peter doesn’t want to brag about it,” James continued, trying to save Peter from a mess he had created, “maybe later when he’s not that self-conscious.”

“Ah. The artistic nature. I understand you of course, for I have had the privilege to know many great artists. Then let’s go on. What about you there, who might you be who so eagerly speak on behalf of your friend?”

“James Potter.”

That drove professor Slughorn crazy.

“Ooh, mr Potter. You must be the grandson of Henry Potter, used to serve in the Wizengamot back in the days. Controversial fellow in his time, indeed,” Slughorn said offering a symphatetic look towards James, but James didn’t understand what for. His grandfather had defended muggles and James’ family was proud of it. 

“Your father, Monty was it, invented the famous hair potion, didn’t he? Well you must let us in on some Potter potion brewing tricks. And I am quite sure my little club would be of your taste. You are welcome to attend.”

James thanked but grimaced inwardly at the thought of professor Slughorn’s club.

 

“Oh and yes, right there on the next table you have a fellow slugclubber. Shake hands boys. Let me present you Daemon Avery, I've had the pleasure to know his father, a very impressive man. He used to attend my Slug Club back in the days. And then next we have Deborah Burke, such an interesting and inspiring girl! She is also part of my Slug Club. Her grandmother was neé Black,” professor squeezed Sirius enthusiastically like Sirius would be interested in. As far as James was concerned it seemed that the Blacks were pretty much related to every old wizard family. 

“And of course she is also related to Caractus Burke, co-founder of the shop specialized in exotic and rare artefacts that is still up and running.”

“Exotic,” James scoffed himself, “more like dark and twisted.”

 

“Then in the next table we have Amadeus Mulciber, was it? A fine young man I have no doubts about it. Who knows what great deeds this fellow will do in the future. We might have not heard of any Mulcibers yet but who knows, one day he’ll make a name for himself. Remember then that you heard it from me first,” he laughed. The boy blushed and grimaced and the professor went on with his introductions.

 

“Then we have young Severus Snake was it? Ah, right, Snape. But know that his mother is of house Prince. I’m in no doubt he’ll inherited some of his mother’s family traits, we’ll see. And then, who is this then dear?”

“Lily Evans. Nothing special in me.”

“Right then, don’t be so modest dear,” professor Slughorn smiled encouragingly but apparently he believed her because he didn’t inquire anymore. The professor went on and presented the last row of Slytherins. After that he finally let go of Sirius’ shoulder and Sirius went back of the class to sit with James. James saw that Sirius was seemingly furious. He couldn’t wait for the lesson to be over.

 

“My mother, that’s what happened," Sirius said gloomily after they were released from professor Slughorn’s lesson.

“After the howler McGonagall had made apparently quite an angry floo-call to my dear mother. My mother didn’t answer to it any nicer I guess. Then professor Slughorn, who was there to explain my mother why I can’t be put into Slytherin although I’m a Black, came up with an idea, that I could attend his stupid club and that he was there to see that I get educated and affected with all the Slytherin traits and get properly connected. Mother had agreed but also told that she will be investigating a possibility to transfer me to Durmstrang.”

James gasped.

“You can not go. I like you here!”

“Well then Potter descending from the Wizengamot wizard, am I glad that you will be there too at the Slug Club,” Sirius smirked as James grunted in distress.

“I don’t have to go do I? It’s not me who’s in the wrong house,” James smirked and now it was Sirius’ turn to make a displeased face.


	7. The strangest of all

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The lads are wondering how Remus liked the hospital wing and getting an answer why Sirius knows how to sit like there's a stick in his butt.

“You know, every now and then I’m still wondering if this is just a dream. That I will wake up and get sorted into Slytherin like a good little Black heir. Maybe I fell asleep on the Hogwarts Express. The company at the end of the trip was really boring.”

 

Two and a half weeks of school had gone by. They were having some unexpected free time as their history teacher professor Binns had suddenly turned ill and no one had the time to substitute him with this short notice.

 

It was late September and the weather was unusually warm. The four Gryffindor first-graders were lounging outside on the grass, lying on their back and staring at clouds and listening to Sirius raving about the letter he had received in the morning.

 

“Just listen to these questions:  _ ‘Describe your relationship to studying the dark arts’ _ . This is utterly nonsense, I tell you.”

“Relax Sirius,” Remus said, “professor McGonagall promised you don’t have to go to Durmstrang if you don’t want to.”

“But professor McGonagall doesn’t know my dear mother.”

“Ease up mate. McG had that floo-call with her. She knows her business. Let’s enjoy our free time,” James said lazily, eyes closed.

“Don’t you wonder how a ghost can be ill?” Peter was thinking out loud. They pondered it for a moment, sharing their theories, coming to a conclusion that even ghosts are subjects to mental illnesses. Remus promised to consult his father about the matter.

 

“Speaking of illnesses”, Peter then continued, “Remus, how was the hospital wing? You never told us. Stebbins had an accident last week at potions and he said that the nurse is too fuzzy, driving you absolutely crazy there. What was it you had when you had to stay there?”

“I’ve already forgotten that, it was so long ago,” Remus mumbled vaguely, fiddling the pages of his ' _ A history of Magic _ ’.

“Naw, it was on the 5th day”, Sirius said eyes still nailed to the letter from Durmstrang. Remus stiffened and turned to Sirius.

“Why do you keep on track my goings, Black?” He snapped.

“I don’t, I just happen to remember. It was full moon and it’s not  _ ‘so long ago’ _ ,” he said absentmindedly, staring at the letter like he was inquiring some answers from it. Peter lifted his eyebrow.

“So, you keep on track full moons? You really take your astronomy seriously then.” 

“You mean  _ siriously _ ?” James interjected, earning a smack on the back of his head from Sirius.

“Pettigrew, what do you expect?” Sirius grunted, “I come from a family that has an obsession for naming kids after stars and constellations. We learned all this stellar nonsense before we could read,” Sirius scoffed, finally deciding to clench the letter into a ball.

“You don’t have to speak in such degrading manner, even though we didn’t know your highness’ habits,” Remus said tensed. Sirius eyed daggers at him.

“And I thought you bragged you could read at the age of three,” Peter tried to sound like he didn’t mind Sirius’ tone.

“Yes I did, and both I stated you is true,” Sirius threw the ball shaped letter at Peter, taking his sullen eyes off Remus. With a sigh Sirius gave in and explained.

 

“Okay lads, listen up. You see, me and my brother, we have lived very protected and beforehand planned life. We never had any friends of our own. Only those other kids in those adults’ dinners we had to attend, where we were just supposed to sit quietly and look pretty. There are etiquettes, rules how to eat, how to dress, how to dance, how to have conversations and whatnot and I had to know them all by heart by the age of seven. I never had the freedom to play freely with others, never had the privilege to act out of impulse but I had to practise swordplay, cello and French! And yes, I had to study all the rocks and bits that move around up there in the sky. I speak fluently two foreign languages and I know a fare share of Latin too but I had my first pillow fight ever on the first day we arrived.”

“Dude, you threw one pillow!” James snorted, “hardly qualifies as a fight!”

“I also shove Remus. That counts too!” Sirius insisted. “But there you go. Now you might understand why I’m so good at sitting like there’s a stick up in my butt.”

“Yeah and that pretty much explains why you’re the strangest of all,” Peter giggled but it was a very unfortunate timing for that kind of a joke.

 

“Speak for yourself!” Narcissa Black’s cold voice scolded Peter. Peter seemed to shrink before her eyes. She approached the lounging boys with two of her Slytherin girlfriends trailing behind her.

“Cousin!” Sirius greeted. “We were just discussing about the gloomy and dark Black childhood. How were you able to avoid all the goofy stellar names?”

“Sirius,” Narcissa said with a patient tone like she was talking to a six year old,

“It’s good to have traditions. One day you'll thank aunt Walburga and uncle Orion for all the hard work they’ve done for you.”

Sirius scoffed and rolled his eyes.

 

James had sat up and was eyeing daggers at Narcissa, still trying to figure out how to get back at her. She completely ignored him, like usually.

“I just popped by to ask how you’re doing. And to make sure you’re coming to Slug Club supper tonight.”

“I was planning to skip it. I happen to know Drom isn’t coming either,” Sirius resisted.

“Dromeda isn’t the one in the wrong house, darling,” Narcissa sneered. That put Sirius in foul mood.

“Why everybody keeps telling me that!”

“Sirius didn’t do it on purpose!” James snapped at her but he was air to her. And apparently to Sirius too, because he said the exact same thing, like James had never said anything.

“I didn’t do it on purpose!”

“I know, Sirius. And if you ask from me it’s Dromeda we should worry about,” she said softly, “she’s a loose cannon, Sirius. I sense something is terribly wrong with her.”

James wanted to defend his crush but Sirius didn’t give him the chance.

“Oh yeah, what about me?” Sirius reached for the letter he had clenched into ball and straightened it and handed it to Narcissa. She read it frowning.

“Hmm. A transfer application for Durmstrang. You most certainly are not going, are you?”

“Of course not. Durmstrang! What is mother thinking of me.”

“I am quite sure your best. I can talk to aunt Walburga on behalf of you.”

“Yeah sure, that’ll do the trick. Not,” Sirius sneered sarcastically. Narcissa placed her hand on Sirius’ cheek and used again that patient explaining tone as she continued:

“Sirius, you are precious to me. You and baby-Reg have always been like brothers to me and I know aunt Walburga values my care towards you two boys. But you must promise me you’ll be a good little cousin and do everything aunt Walburga needs you to do, okay?”

Sirius nodded, giving finally in. Narcissa squeezed his hand and smiled at him.

“I know I can trust you in this. See you in the evening!” 

She pressed a shallow kiss on Sirius’ forehead and left with her friends. 

“I could’ve rocked a floral name too, you know,” Sirius yelled after her.

 

“We could call you Aster and your parents just might approve,” Remus said in passing, nose buried into the ‘ _ A history of Magic _ ’.

Sirius let out a light burst of laughter.

“Clever,” he said eyeing Remus seemingly amused, “I might start to like this Lupin-fellow.”

“Oi please,” James mumbled shaking his head while he laid back to the ground, “Aster, such a lame name.” 

“You have something against nicknaming Sirius?” Peter asked slyly. “I’ve noticed James, that you don’t use any nicknames for Sirius.”

James lifted himself on his elbows looking mortified.

“ _ Aster _ was Remy’s invention, not mine! Of course I’m not using others’ inventions,” he said, and after a quick thought he added, “unless they’re really clever. Like truly some work of art.”

“Like  _ ‘Petey’  _ was something brilliant no other have ever come up with before,” Peter rolled his eyes, Sirius agreed nodding.

“Yeah,  _ Jamie _ , what’s with this weird policy of nicknaming? Why I ain’t got one?”

James laid back again and smiled that easy-going, lazy smile of his with his eyes shut.

“Sirius, you’re just so special to me. I have a feeling that your nickname will eventually come to me, and when it comes, I recognize it.”

 

For a moment all the boys were silent, Remus reading and Peter and Sirius staring at James eyebrows lifted. Then Peter broke the silence.

“So no Aster then?”

“Nope,” both Sirius and James answered at the same time. 

“Good,” Peter grinned nodding approvingly before he laid next to James on the grass.


	8. Times such as these

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Delicious steaks and some food for thought at the Slug Club.

The Slug Club supper was for ten students, laid on a round table in Professor Slughorn’s office. Professor Slughorn had seated the Blacks and Lucius Malfoy closest on his right side. Sirius had the questionable pleasure to sit next to the professor. It seemed that the professor was very taken by the position of trust Mrs Black had put him in.

“Fool,” Sirius had growled to James before they had been seated, stating then that everyone was inevitably going to fail his mother’s demands and forced to face her wrath.

 

Lucius Malfoy sat next to Sirius and then his soon-to-be sister-in-law Narcissa on his right. Then came the rest of the Slytherins, one older Slytherin James didn’t recognize, then Daemon Avery and Deborah Burke from the first year class. Next to them was Potter and on his right side a third-grader Gryffindor girl Alice Fawley and next to her some older Ravenclaws and on professor Slughorn’s left side sat some older Hufflepuff.

 

James watched Sirius and his perfect table manners. He tasted everything, held his cutlery with grace and included both professor Slughorn and Lucius Malfoy in his discussions although James knew he didn’t enjoy the company of either of them.

“I am quite worried about your sister, ms Black. She hasn’t been able to attend our gatherings in this Autumn at all”, James heard professor Slughorn say to Narcissa. His heart started to race when he realized it was the fierce and fiery Andromeda they were talking about.

“I’ve always enjoyed her wits and spontaneous ways.”

“Oh truly, professor?” Narcissa answered with some dry tones in her voice, “I will let her know the professor’s kind words. Tonight she had to do some revising. N.E.W.T.s are really close,” Narcissa explained on behalf of Andromeda. Professor Slughorn nodded understanding.

“We are also missing mr Tonks tonight. Must indeed be the heavy load of revising our seventh graders are struggling through. I am glad that mr Malfoy had the time to visit our supper this evening despite of the upcoming exams.”

Lucius Malfoy tried to keep his smile modest but James couldn’t help detecting some big-headed satisfaction oozing out of him.

“Of course professor, I wouldn’t have missed this for any reason. These gatherings of ours refresh me and give me strength to carry on with my studies. I am afraid my lovely betrothed is having a lot of stress going on regarding the N.E.W.T.s so she cannot be separated from her books at the moment.”

 

James let out a little burst of scornful laughter, glancing at Sirius. James didn’t exactly know Andromeda in person, he admitted to himself, but she surely didn’t strike him the booknerd type at all. James was waiting for Sirius to break a witty comment about it, preferably the kind that would embarrass posh Narcissa and smug Lucius with their pretentious acts. But there Sirius sat munching his salad and nodding politely towards Malfoy. James couldn’t believe his eyes.

“She’ll be fine because she has you by her side,” Narcissa said eyeing Lucius Malfoy fondly. James shifted his focus back to the two of them and couldn’t help thinking that Narcissa Black was acting like she had a crush in her sister’s fiancé.

 

“Well then, James Potter. Your parents must be proud of you attending to Hogwarts and getting sorted into Gryffindor?” Professor Slughorn addressed James. James was in the middle of chewing his delicious and juicy steak and he was surprised by the sudden attention that was directed at him. He nodded and swallowed loudly while everyone was staring at him.

“Of course professor. My father was a Gryffindor himself. But I need to add that _my parents_ would have been proud of me no matter which house I’d have ended up”, he cast an encouraging look towards Sirius, but Sirius was ignoring him. James frowned. It really seemed that Sirius had fallen into his impenetrable aristocratic Black act. He was nibbling his food and giving small courteous glances towards James, just to let everyone acknowledge that he was listening to the speaker. But James felt he was not taking any actual contact to his friend.

 

“Oh you are a Potter!” And just like that Narcissa Black suddenly became aware him. James nearly choked to his mashed potatoes by the surprise.

“I think we have a Potter up there in our family tapestry, don’t we?” She asked Sirius with an enthusiastic singing tone. Sirius nodded curtly and they started to wonder what kind of relatives they might be with the Potters. Sirius’ oddly polite and nonchalant tone made James feel irritated. Like it was some alien there sitting in the table, wearing Sirius-suit but not actually acting like Sirius. James needed to interrupt.

“I am sorry to tell you but our family hasn’t been that keen on keeping tracks of passed relatives.”

“Maybe you have cousins or other relatives that would’ve?” Narcissa asked smiling at him patiently, putting a single pea placed perfectly in the middle of her fork in her mouth.

“I don’t have cousins or aunts or uncles. No sisters or brothers either,” James sighed, wishing again he had. He imagined how he would run to the owlery after this ridiculous supper and write to a cousin with whom he would have played all his childhood, laughing about the Blacks’ weird obsession with their dead relatives and praising the juicy steak he was having.

 

“Well then, mr Potter, you have to make sure to build up a big clan of you Potters then when you come of age,” professor Slughorn boomed.

“Yes, I do agree with professor. I think it’s important to cherish the pureblood family lines and keep the ancient wizarding families alive,” Narcissa said giving again that soft glance full of fondness towards Malfoy, “I know the Malfoys cherish their bloodline also.”

Malfoy smiled towards Narcissa, not that sweetly but clearly with more softness and warmth than his usual cold smirks had.

“I and my parents couldn’t be more happy to join our house with the most respected wizard family of all the times. An honor to call you my sister and,” he then turned to Sirius, “you my cousin by the time you two start your next year in Hogwarts.”

“Wonderful! I love when families come together,” the professor sniffed spectacularly, making sure everybody noticed how deeply touched he was feeling, “probably a huge wedding party coming, right?” he continued. Lucius Malfoy nodded.

“Of course the whole Slug Club will be invited. You, professor, as a guest of honor.”

The professor beamed.

“I had the pleasure to attend ms Black’s eldest sister’s wedding this summer. Maybe some of you read about them from magazines. There was a good shot of me in one paper.”

As no one seemed to remember seeing that picture he was so proud of, the professor went on.

“It was another beautiful event where two members of old and traditional wizarding families got each other…”

“Professor,” James interrupted as he had heard enough, “if this is going to lead to another pureblood appreciation talk, I think I need to leave. I do not like that kind of talks.”

Burke on his left side let out a scornful sneer.

“Potter’s commentary suggests to me that the rumours of the Potters being pureblood are just a myth,” Avery remarked, hoping obviously to offend James.

 

James was well aware of the negative attitudes that had surfaced recently. His parents had told him stories from the old times when hatred and prejudice had led to terrible deeds. The story of his late grandfather Henry was important to the Potters. Henry Potter had been a respected wizard of Wizengamot, but he had been also despised by many, mostly by the pureblood supremacists of his time. Henry Potter loudly supported equal human rights for muggles and wanted to help them. James knew his parents were expecting James to set an example to the youth of his own time. Being a kid lucky enough to have a wealthy wizarding family that had a notable heritage was a huge privilege, and privileges tasted the best when they’re put to spread some good around. James couldn’t care less whether he was a pureblood or not and Avery’s words didn’t affect him at all.

 

But mostly James didn’t want to hear about sweet Andromeda’s and Malfoy jerk’s wedding anymore.

 

“But good mr Potter. I by no means have anything against muggles, muggle borns or half-bloods, you really need to hear this. We have muggleborns here in our table tonight,” the professor smiled at the other Ravenclaw supportingly, “and other members also who are not present today. But I must admit that in my opinion there is nothing wrong with some pureblood pride either. We are all equal and everyone should be proud of one’s heritage.”

James couldn’t actually disagree with professor, but still he felt there was an odd misplaced tone clinging in the air. Malfoy then continued with his irritating nasal voice.

“These are troubled times professor, disturbing attitudes are rising,” he turned to stare at James with his pale eyes, “in times such as these, it seems that merely being proud of your noble ancestry is a crime against humanity.” Narcissa on his right agreed fervently.

 

James glanced angrily at Sirius who was just watching Lucius and Narcissa talking without any sign of resistance. Apparently he had adopted the role of that silent child that is there to look pretty. Maybe he agreed with them. Before James could answer professor Slughorn turned to the Gryffindor girl.

“And ms Fawley, I believe you are of pureblood ancestry as well. How do you find the present attitude towards your family line?”

Alice Fawley put her fork and knife down and looked a while at her plate intensely like trying to gather her thoughts on it.

“I am really proud of my family,” she finally said slowly, “but bloodlines matter nothing to us. How you treat other people is how you should be judged.”

“But ms Fawley, that was very well put. I am sure we all can approve this.”

Burke, who seemed to have a thing for letting out different kinds of noises without actually participating in the discussion, scorned loudly and rolled her eyes. James nodded smiling widely and toasted his cup to Alice Fawley and then cast a victorious glance towards the Black-Malfoy -section of the table. Narcissa looked sullen, Malfoy had a stony face that gave nothing away. Sirius seemed to have lost in his own thoughts.

 

After the horrid supper was over and the boys were climbing back to Gryffindor tower, James decided to confront Sirius, demanding to know why he had turned into the dull Black heir. Sirius shrugged and didn’t answer. James continued to pressure:

“What is it with you Blacks, why ignoring everyone around you is so easy to you? It’s not healthy! It’s not fare! Barely tolerable! I was just surprised tonight that it was you who ignored and your insufferable cousin who tried to have a pleasant conversation with me,” he raged, then adding with a grimace “at least as soon as my last name was revealed to her.”

Sirius didn’t still give any reply.

“You are so good at ignoring as well, you know.”

No answer.

“You broke my heart!” James said overly dramatic, pretending to hold his aching heart, thinking that would make Sirius Black laugh. But on the contrary, Sirius lashed at him.

“James - give me a break! I get it, you are James the-righteous-true-Gryffindor-mind-freaking Potter who knows all the brave and valiant stuff. You don’t get it, do you.” For a second he looked really angry, then he sighed.

“I’m sorry I just... I’ve made a mess. Me being a Gryffindor. I’m not sure if it’s worth all this trouble to everyone. Now I’ve involved Cissy also to this, she said she’ll be talking with my mother about Durmstrang. I shouldn’t have allowed it. If I fail to meet up my mother’s expectations - and I can promise you that I will - everyone else will also get the blame. Cissy for meddling, professor Slughorn for trying to help,” he collapsed on the floor, sitting on the floor, his back resting on the stony wall of staircase.

“Sirius,” James said softly, sitting next to him, “you’re not in this alone. Trust me. Maybe this will work. We’ll attend the Slug Club, Narcissa convinces your parents that you're still Black as midnight and maybe your mom will be ok. Let people help you, no one is supposed to struggle all by themselves. Not even Sirius freaking-idiot-Gryffindor Black, you know.”

Sirius lifted his eyes to meet James’ and smiled a little.

“Thanks,” he murmured while they stood up.

“For what?” James shrugged.

“For that. And for being the first person I met in the train. You’re the coolest person I’ve ever met. After me, of course,” he grinned and went on, “if it was Pettigrew I met first I’d probably jumped off the tower on the first night for being sorted into Gryffindor.”

James smiled inwardly.

“Well Sirius Black, you are an ok lad yourself too.”

 

Suddenly Sirius stopped and got serious again.

“I have been thinking about what Fawley said there. About getting judged by how you treat other people.”

“Yes?”

“I think that would make me an ass.”

“Probably,” James agreed, grinning.


	9. They'll play with our lives

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys are trying to enjoy the season's first quidditch match but the Black family drama is happening everywhere.

“What do you mean you haven’t ever watched quidditch, Lupin? I can not believe you!” Sirius snorted while the four boys were sitting in the quidditch stand. It was the first match of the season, Slytherin versus Hufflepuff. 

“I mean it Lupin, I had really boring and closed life but quidditch was the sun and the moon of my life!”

For some reason that sentence seemed to make Remus Lupin flinch.

 

Narcissa Black was playing as the seeker for Slytherin and Sirius wanted to watch his cousin play. James had agreed to accompany him because he loved quidditch more than he hated Sirius’ cousin, but he had insisted that they would sit among Hufflepuffs instead of Slytherins. For some reasons Lupin and Pettigrew had trailed after them even though neither of them seemed to be thrilled with the sport itself.

 

It was not only Lupin that Sirius was able to make feel uncomfortable, James had noticed recently. Every now and then Sirius made dismissing comments about Peter, how no one knew any Pettigrews and thinking Peter was more stupid than the others. It might be, that the plump and quiet boy wasn’t as swift in his moves as the others were, but James liked the boy. And he was in the awe of Peter’s ability to spot all the delicate details. Peter wasn’t more stupid than the others, his brains were just wired differently than the others and in James’ eyes that made him a genius.

 

Remus Lupin on the other hand was a bit of mystery for James. James actually didn’t understand how Sirius was able to get him irked that way. He had noticed that Remus didn’t like to talk about his family, except couple weeks ago when he had to take few days off to go see his sick mother or at the start of school when nearly all the teachers had complimented his father’s work on non-beings. Remus was a smart one himself too, but he also struggled quite a lot in charms, potions and transfiguration, just like Peter. The difference between the two was, that Remus was sitting his nose buried in the books nearly all the time. Peter didn’t bother. 

 

History and defence against the dark arts required a lot of reading so those were the subjects where Remus was at his best. Flying lessons were the worst for him. James felt sorry for him and being talented flyer himself he tried to offer some tutoring to the boy but the stubborn idiot had declined twice already. But James knew you couldn’t learn flying from the books.

 

Sirius Black aced in pretty much everything. It seemed that his home school teacher had been really exceptional and he had gotten a good head start with all of the subjects. Except for one which Sirius really sucked at. Herbology. So neat and beautiful that boy’s handwriting was, writing was apparently the only thing he could do with his hands. James chuckled at the memory of Sirius in the first herbology class where he had looked in pure horror as professor Sprout had told them to put their hands into the dirt. Sirius had survived it though, with the help of James.

 

James himself loved every minute and every aspect of the school. He was also a good student and it was easy to him to follow the lessons. He was more like Peter and didn’t stress that much about getting the highest grades, but Lupin and Sirius were obsessing over O.W.L.s at this point all ready. They just wanted to be the best in everything, like they were trying to proof something to someone. Probably to their parents, at least in Sirius’ case. It was already October and Sirius was still stressing about his mother, James knew. And thanked that his own parents were the best there could be. 

 

James’ thoughts were interrupted by a thunderbolt that raced through his spine when he heard Peter’s voice ask from Sirius. 

“Isn’t that your scary cousin?” 

They all turned to see a student climb up the stairs. Their robes didn’t have any house identifiers but they had covered their head in yellow-black hufflepuff scarf. As they were climbing the stairs and holding up the hem of their robe, the revealing snake tattoo in the right hand was visible everyone to see. As soon as James realized it was really her, his heart started to throb sharply in his chest.

 

“Well, well. Am I surprised to see you here, Drom,” Sirius said astonishing his cousin completely. Andromeda stopped her way and slowly she turned to stare at the four boys unable to say anything for a long moment. It was pretty obvious she was meant to go incognito. But soon she collected herself and approached them.

“I could say the same thing about you, cousin,” Andromeda said impish while taking her head cover down and freeing her brown lustrous curls, “shouldn’t you be cheering for your darling cousin?”

“I am,” Sirius told and slapped James in the back of his head, “it’s just that this bonehead didn’t feel like sitting among the Slytherins.”

James felt the cold sweat rising on his forehead. Sirius was teasing him by telling his love of life his distaste of Slytherins. James needed to say something, fast.

“I don’t hate all the Slytherins,” he babbled, realizing too late that Sirius actually hadn’t talked anything about hating. Sirius laughed at James’ obvious distress. But it was the first time ever Andromeda Black actually looked at James and on top of that  _ smiled _ at him.

“Really? Well you should. We Slytherins hate bloodtraitors like you lot.” 

It was probably meant to be a joke because both she and Sirius started to laugh at it. The Hufflepuffs surrounding them were eyeing them with conspicuous dislike. But all that mattered to James was that Andromeda Black, the most gorgeous woman on Earth, apparently knew that he was a Potter. It made  _ ‘bloodtraitor’ _ the sweetest title he knew.

 

Remus stood up murmuring something about needing to go, but Sirius gripped his wrist and forced him to sit back.

“Relax Lupin, we are only joking. Dromeda here has opposed our twisted family values as long as I can remember. And to our parents’ face, which is much more than I can boast of myself.”

“You’ll come around lil’ cousin”, Andromeda smiled at him and whisked James to move aside, so that she would be able to squeeze herself between him and Remus. James felt like he could die happily now, being so close to this wonderful woman who had just revealed she acknowledged his existence.

 

“I am truly sorry if my rotten sense of humour made you feel uncomfortable. I want you to know that my cousin’s friends are my friends too,” she smiled at Remus, getting a shy smile out of Remus too. 

“And,” she turned to face James, “I truly understand your deteste towards Slytherins. But not all Slytherins are bad apples.” James tried to stammer an answer but she went on reaching out for Sirius, who was sitting on James’ other side.

“I think Slytherins and Gryffindors form great and powerful unions.” 

Her brown hair fell on the lap of James and he could smell her perfume, a mixture of orange and some flower and maybe some tree too. She was so mature, so beautiful and so alluring James didn’t know how to be. He just inhaled the sensation as long as it lasted.

“I’m proud of you little cousin,” Andromeda whispered so quietly only James and Sirius heard her.

“Why is that?” Sirius asked, smiling little.

“I just am,” she smiled and brushed Sirius’ cheek which his tattooed hand.

 

Madame Hooch whistled the match on. The five of them watched Narcissa Black shoot up in the air to start to seek the snitch.

“Drom,” Sirius said not taking his eyes off from Narcissa, “you didn’t tell me why you are here, masked as a funny little Hufflepuff.”

“Darling cousin, you didn’t tell me either,” she turned to Sirius, eyeing him with a smile that seemed somewhat guarded. James in between them was shooting glances at both of them.

“Actually I told you,” Sirius said eyes still on the game, “don’t try to distract me. What are you up to, Andromeda? Cissy says there's something wrong with you.”

Andromeda paused for a second but started explaining then.

“Well actually, I just needed a break from Lucius. I think he has put some of his friends to follow me around. Or maybe it’s Cissy then. The walls have eyes, the doors have ears, I tell you.”

“If you need protection we’ll help you,” James exclaimed, receiving a sneer from both Black cousins. 

“You little boys enjoy your childhood as long as it will last and let us grown ups deal our own shit, okay,” she said, watching James with her haunting eyes. He felt his heart shatter a little. He was just a brat to this gorgeous woman.

“Drom, I must advise you to think again,” Sirius chuckled, “I think this Potter here might be more of a man and a better husband for you than that sad and creepy Lucius Malfoy.”

“I am quite sure those were the words that helped my mother avoid marrying that horrid Abraxas Malfoy and end up with father.”

Yet again the both Blacks laughed together and the other three boys were glancing at each other, not knowing was it supposed to be funny or offending.

 

“Well what about your father, Sirius?” Peter asked, probably just to break their endless laughter, “all you ever do is complain about your mother but I know you have a father also.”

“Yeah, I do. But daddy is pretty useless around my dear mother,” Sirius scoffed, cheering as Narcissa did a beautiful distraction to throw the other seeker off of her tail.

“Are you fucking kidding me, Sirius? Uncle Orion is the bravest wizard I’ve ever known. Just think about all the courage one must have to stick his cock in Walburga Black’s cunt and actually breed with that hex too.”

Sirius finally lifted his eyes from the game and turned to Andromeda with an amazed face.

“I cannot believe you that you actually think about my parents’ doing  _ it _ and on top of that you talk about  _ it _ to my innocent ears. You filthy perv!”

They burst into that insufferable laughter again. But then Andromeda went earnest.

 

“I am serious, Sirius. Some things will be happening. My family is taking part in something...rotten, there is no other word to describe it. It will affect yours too. Don’t take part in anything you don’t want to. There is no turning back if you do.”

“Andromeda, what are you going on about?” Sirius' eyes were still focused to his cousin and Slytherin scored their first goal while the Black cousins were staring at each other.

“Bella has lost it, Sirius, I tell you...she’s even worse than your mother and my father combined. I am ashamed to call her my sister anymore.” She turned her head away and James had a feeling she was holding tears back.

“They’ll play with our lives, with no regrets. I am worried my dear baby sister is more like Bellatrix than me...so it’s up to you and my baby cousin to redeem our house.”

“Up to me and Reg...Drom, what are you talking about? Are you going somewhere?”

She shook her head and let out a nervous laughter.

“Never mind. Just don’t take part in anything you don’t want to, do you hear me? I trust you in this one, Sirius.”

“Fear not, I will take care of your cousin,” James said soothingly and even dared to take the tattooed hand to his. Andromeda was seemingly both amused and touched. She squeezed his hand, and whispered to James’ ear:

“My cousin is lucky to have a friend like you.”

 

Then Andromeda pulled out and stood up.

“I think I need to go. See you around, Sirius. Boys,” she nodded to everyone and retreated out of the stand. All the four boys had forgotten the game and were now staring after her, until some Hufflepuff boy stood up and hastened in the same direction as she, hiding the sight of her from them.

 

“Your cousin speaks in riddles,” Peter spoke first.

“I think she’s in trouble,” Remus shrugged.

“She clearly loves me,” James sighed. Sirius slapped James.

“You lovesick baboon and the rest of you. It’s a Black family business. Nothing you should worry yourself.”

 

The Hufflepuffs suddenly started to cry in distress while the Slytherin audience were cheering. Narcissa Black had retrieved the snitch and Slytherin had won.

“I still like her more,” Peter sighed, “she’s both beautiful and a quidditch hero.”

Sirius slapped Peter too.


	10. We'll dance in their dark

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sirius finally decides how he feels about being in Gryffindor instead of Slytherin.

“This is...unexpected,” Sirius stammered and stared at the letters the Black family owl Bubo had just dropped beside his breakfast.

“It isn’t, it’s your birthday, you big dumbass,” James tried to reason. He had gotten used to the fact that all of the Blacks in Hogwarts went crazy when their family affairs were in question, but from James’ point of view it was pretty thick to be suspicious about letters from home on one’s birthday.

“This one is from Reg but do you see this? It’s my dear mother’s handwriting.”

“Of course she wants to wish her son happy birthday,” James snorted, “open them up now! At least I am eager to know what your family is writing to you.”

Sirius opened the first letter and James and Peter crouched over the letter to read it with Sirius.

 

_“Hi Sirius!_

 

_Happy birthday to you! Must be weird to spend it out there in Hogwarts. I still haven’t used to this loneliness in here, feels odd to be the only son around. Though I have proceeded with my studies a lot and I think it might be because I’m running out of distractions for the first time in my life. Maitresse also says that I am more clever than you are.”_

 

“You wish,” Sirius sneered, smiling fondly.

 

_So tell me more about planting mandrakes. That sounds really interesting. Maybe you could show me when you get home?”_

 

Sirius grimaced at the mere thought of it.

 

_“Best regards,_

_Regulus.”_

 

“Well that was a nice little letter. How about your mother’s one?” James urged.

Sirius opened the letter and something silvery fell out of it. It was a necklace, the same type green eyed snake that Narcissa had worn, a little smaller and simpler though.

“Shouldn’t you get something golden with a lion on it?” Peter asked quietly but James eyed him with a stern look that told this wasn’t the time for it.

 

_“Sirius Orion Black._

 

_We wish you the best for your birthday, our first born son. Have this piece of jewelry as a token of our congratulation. 12 year is a milestone. The boy starts to become a man._

 

_That teacher woman of yours keeps assuring you are one of the best students on your year by this far. That makes me and your father to unburden ourselves a little regarding your situation. Now is not the time to have disagreements within our family. We are to ensure that the future is bright for us and our kind._

 

_We are awaiting to see you on your holiday leave._

 

_Toujours pur_

_W.B. & O.B.” _

 

Sirius stared at the letter, and James tried to read his thoughts behind his solemn face. In James’ eyes the letter had been nonsense. It painted a distant and somewhat cold picture of Sirius’ mother. But on the other hand, the letter hinted that his mother might have accepted that the Black heir was a Gryffindor instead of a Slytherin.

 

“Is it just me or does that letter have somehow dark tone?” Peter asked, earning another sharp glance from James. Sirius shrugged.

“Probably. Funny that you say that. _‘And we’ll dance in their dark’_ , Drom used to say when we were kids,” he mumbled gloomily, eyeing the necklace that came with the letter.

“At least no mention about Durmstrang,” James pointed out, trying to find the positive sides. It was Sirius’ birthday, a special day. No time for grievance or bad omens.

“The letter does suggest that my dear mother has gotten over my gryffindorhood,” Sirius said, sounding disbelieving.

“Maybe the necklace is cursed?” Peter pondered, getting now a straightforward kick in his shin from James.

“Of course it’s not. It’s an ordinary birthday present from a mother to a son. She’s cool with you, Sirius.”

“My mother doesn’t do cool, Potter.”

“Yes she does nowadays and you need to find another way to be the whitest sheep of the Blacks,” James insisted briskly, “now let’s enjoy your birthday.”

 

“Hey is that Remus? Finally!” Peter noticed a small student shambling in the Great Hall.

“Do you think his mother is being sick again?” James wondered. Remus had disappeared after dinner last night and hadn’t been in the dorm when they woke up.

“Didn’t she die already?” Sirius asked surprised.

“Wouldn’t he had a funeral to attend then?” Peter shrugged.

“Maybe it’s the funeral he was visiting?” Sirius insisted.

“Who does funerals on Tuesday midnight or early morning Wednesday?” Peter rolled his eyes.

“Not to mention he prolly would’ve said something to us instead of just sneaking out,” James doubted. Sirius shook his head.

“No he wouldn’t, he’s not much of talker, isn’t he?” And turning to Peter he sneered: “maybe his mother is from Australia.”

“What does being from Australia got to--”

“Could you three possibly blabber any louder about my business?” Remus snapped right away as he seated himself next to Peter, eyeing daggers at the boys and looking like he hadn’t slept an eyeful on the whole night.

“Well good bloody morning to you too sunshine!” Sirius answered eyeing Remus with a keen interest.

“Remy! How are you? We were just --” James started but snappy Remus cut him off.

“No, my mother hasn’t died and that’s why there hasn’t been a funeral. And she’s from Wales,” Remus added with a sharp look towards Sirius.

“Look, we didn’t mean you to hear that, we were just --,” James tried to explain but Remus interjected again.

“I had a terrible migraine, all night and had to go to the hospital wing. I just wanted to wish you happy birthday but I see now it was a mistake.”

 

James wanted to say that Remus was overreacting and that they didn’t mean anything ill, but he was able to understand that Remus wasn’t in shape yet. The migraine had clearly taken its toll from the boy, and James felt sorry for him.

“Remus, you look like you should go to lie down,” James worried.

“But the birthday,” Remus insisted, but he sort of sounded defeated already. At least the anger was gone from his voice completely. He just sounded very tired.

“Yeah, the birthday,” Sirius grunted, but James wasn’t sure if he wished for Remus to stay or leave.

“Sirius will understand and he appreciates that you came to say hi,” James said quickly, deciding it was better to get Remus to their dormitory. He stood up and was grabbing Remus’ shoulders.

“Yeah. Let me--”

But Peter interrupted him. He was standing up too.

“No James, you stay with our birthday boy here. Remus, let me take you. Here, let’s grab something for you to eat first.”

“Oh Peter I can walk myself…”

“Oh no, it’s my pleasure, Remus,” Peter assured collecting some breakfast from the table to take with. James guessed that Peter probably didn’t want to stay alone with Sirius.

“I am so sorry about my current state, gentlemen. And happy birthday to you Sirius.”

 

“Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you...!”

Remus and Peter had barely gotten out of the Great Hall when a singing Slytherin choir started to approach Sirius. Sirius seemed like he wanted to sink under the table. All those distant relatives and family acquaintances had been forced to come to sing to him. You could read that right from their tensed faces as they sang. Some of them were just opening and closing their mouths not letting any sound out. James figured it was probably all Narcissa’s and Andromeda’s doings. Also Lucius Malfoy was with them.

“Happy birthday to you, dear cousin,” the Black sisters wished in unison giving each a hug to their cousin. Then they presented a gift. It was long, thin and all the way broom-shaped.

“It is from both of us,” Andromeda smirked.

“Hi Drommie,” James gasped trying to get some attention from her but she was too engrossed with their present presenting to notice him.

“And from Lucius too,” Narcissa added.

“Well thank you all for the uh...lovely song,” Sirius nodded to the other Slytherins who took it as a sign to dissolve.

 

“Open it,” Narcissa urged.

Sirius ripped the present open to find a new Nimbus 1700 broom.

“Oh Merlin’s beard it’s awesome,” James gasped, starting to fuss about it.

“It is for your next years quidditch tryouts, we are hoping you to make in the team,” Narcissa said.

“We know how much you enjoy quidditch,” Andromeda added softly. Sirius thrusted the broom into James’ lap and hugged both Narcissa and Andromeda warmly and shook Lucius’ hand.

 

But professor McGonagall had already detected what was going on and she was now approaching them. She cleared her throat before starting her lecture.

“First-graders aren’t allowed to bring brooms to school.” Despite of her strict tone she seemed to be eyeing the broom curiously.

“Oh professor, it’s his birthday present. He’s going to be in your quidditch team next year, just you wait,” Andromeda tried to atone. Everyone knew that Professor McGonagall was a huge quidditch fan. Professor McGonagall’s lips were twisting as she tried to cover her smile. Then she took a good look at the broom.

“Hmmh, Nimbus 1700, not bad at all. Pretty swift they are. I do enjoy my quidditch I have to admit. Oh well, Black, you can have the broom for today but no flying around, birthday or not. Tomorrow I will collect it and keep it in my office until you have the first chance to take it with you home. Is this understood?”

Sirius nodded, mumbling a hasty thanks to her.

 

The Slytherin trio also left.

“We have just finished breakfast and I already have a feeling this is the best birthday ever,” Sirius said as he was walking with James towards their transfiguration lesson.

“You think so? The broom was pretty ace present,” James admitted, concentrating on to the fact that it was also from Andromeda, “are you gonna fly it?”

“Of course _we’re_ gonna fly it. And I meant also the letter from my mother. Although I don’t truly understand what she’s after with all this, I have a feeling she has made peace with me being Gryffindor. It is intimidating to be afraid of your mother’s revenge, you know.”

“Actually, I don’t,” James said, and made a mental note to invite Sirius to meet his parents at some point. Sirius would love her mother, he knew it.

“I don’t want to be the kind of prejudiced jerk my parents are.”

“Yeah, you can be just a jerk.”

“At least I’m going to learn to apologize for my jerkness,” Sirius said solemnly, “I want to be judged by _my_ actions, not by my family’s.”

James remembered it was a reference to Alice Fawley’s words at their Slug Club supper.

 

“Oh, Slug Club,”  Sirius grunted when James mentioned it, “do you think that maybe we can now stop attending those meetings because mother has calmed down a bit?”

“But I liked the steak a lot…”

Sirius smacked James behind his head.

“So,” James grinned at Sirius, “can I take this the way that _‘not being a Slytherin’_ doesn’t suck anymore?”

Sirius let a laughter and patted James friendly to his back.

“Yeah you can. I can be a Black heir and a Gryffindor. Maybe one day my kids will follow my lead,” he said handling the silvery snake he had attached to his neck. James nodded and smiled at him as they continued to the classroom.

“That’s my boy Sirius the-ultimate-Gryffindor Black.”

**Author's Note:**

> The song was chosen as “background music” of this fic because I think the music fits young James’ mindset perfectly. It’s easy-going, a bit of lazy for there is no need to hurry, yet it’s rhythmically heading forward with a steady pace and has some ups that need to be brought down again. The lyrics have some dramatic cling that sound just like the Black family drama appears in my mind.
> 
>  
> 
> Slow Burn by David Bowie
> 
> Here shall we live   
> in this terrible town  
> Where the price for our minds  
> shall squeeze them tight like a fist
> 
> And the walls shall have eyes  
> And the doors shall have ears  
> But we'll dance in their dark  
> And they'll play with our lives
> 
> Like a Slow Burn  
> Leading us on and on and on  
> Like a Slow Burn  
> Turning us round and round and round   
> Hark who are we  
> So small in times such as these  
> Slow Burn  
> Slow Burn
> 
> Oh, these are the days  
> These are the strangest of all  
> These are the nights  
> These are the darkest to fall
> 
> But who knows?  
> Echoes in tenement halls  
> Who knows?  
> Though the years spare them all
> 
> Like a Slow Burn  
> Leading us on and on and on  
> Like a Slow Burn  
> Twirling us round and round  
> and upside down  
> There's fear overhead  
> There's fear overground  
> Slow Burn  
> Slow Burn
> 
> Like a Slow Burn  
> Leading us on and on and on  
> Like a Slow Burn  
> Turning us round and round and  
> 'Round And here are we  
> At the center of it all  
> Slow Burn  
> Slow Burn  
> Slow Burn


End file.
